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My job allows me to play around with some pretty cool stuff, but today I had the opportunity to test out something awesome. If you haven’t already heard of the ROK espresso maker, let me tell you a little bit about it. It's a manual espresso machine from Presso, Ltd. and it’s making waves at the London Coffee Festival. Needless to say, I was stoked. So, I grabbed some coffee, our hot water kettle, and a few volunteers, and we went to town.

There’s really a lot to like about this machine, but one of the first things that struck me was how light the machine was when I lifted it out of its container. Given that the machine and all of its accessories fit inside, it dawned on me just how portable this machine is. Once we got it onto the counter, the ROK’s appearance started turning some heads. It combines the stark elegance of stainless steel construction with nuanced details like the etched in coffee beans underneath the group head for a unique feeling of both durability and creativity.

Brewing shots on the ROK is a really hands-on experience, and easy too. Just fill the reservoir with hot water, lock in the portafilter and lift the handles. Water is siphoned into the group head and when you lower the arms, you create pressure to extract your espresso. Despite how light the machine is, the rubber feet on the base keep it from sliding as you press down on the handles.

The milk frother that comes with the ROK works wonders as well. Like the espresso machine, it’s a very hands on experience. Simply place it in a container of milk and work the pump to create froth. It’s really that simple. Bear in mind that for hot milk, you’ll need to heat it prior to frothing. When we finished, we used it to make a pretty stellar latte macchiato.

So, would I say that the ROK marks the beginning of another British invasion, à la The Beatles, circa 1963? Maybe. What I know for sure is that the ROK is a pretty amazing espresso machine, and that coming to Whole Latte Love soon!

Espresso anywhere?...sounds good to me! I figure this would be a good time to go over the Handpresso Wild Hybrid, an improved version of Handpresso's ingenious portable espresso maker that can now brew using both ground coffee and ESE (Easy Serve Espresso) pods.

At first glance, the Handpresso Wild Hybrid impresses with some exquisite craftsmanship and engineering. In your hand, this portable espresso maker (which weighs in at a comfortable 1.2 pounds) feels just right. It's light enough to take anywhere, yet it's got enough weight to dispel any concerns about its durability.

When the real work is out of the way, you simply remove the lid from the brewing pod and add hot water into it, and insert an ESE (easy serve espresso) pod or a filled basket of ground coffee. Living the fast paced life that I do, I prefer using the Lavazza Gran Crèma Pods.

Next, cover the espresso pod with the lid and make sure it secured tightly. Finally, point the bottom of the pod over the espresso cup, push the plunger down and watch the thick and rich espresso pour into the cup with a generous amount of crema.

Mmmmm! Cleaning up is easy too. When the Handpresso is done brewing, empty the brewing pod by throwing away the used espresso pod and proceed to rinse it with water. Dry the Handpresso with dry rag and you are ready for your next espresso shot.

It's Alive! The Handpresso Wild Hybrid and innovation are synonymous; and, while that is an outstanding characteristic, much more can be said about the new Handpresso Wild Hybrid. When I first started working at Whole Latte Love I had heard of Handpresso and of the two varieties of hand-held espresso machines they made, the Handpresso Wild and the Handpresso DomePod. Now, this is where the Handpresso Wild Hybrid really shines. As a combination of both machines, the Hybrid can brew espresso using either ESE pods or ground coffee, making it very versatile for making espresso on the go.

I found brewing with the Handpresso Wild Hybrid to be a very hands-on experience. I was very impressed by its performance, and wild with excitement by the time I was finished... okay good, you're still with me. Puns aside, I found the Handpresso Wild Hybrid to be an incredibly easy machine to use after perusing the instructions a few times. What it really boils down to is pumping the machine, filling it with water and coffee and pushing a button.

To test it out, I went on a voyage to the untamed wilderness that is the Whole Latte Love kitchen. I found it somewhat ironic that I wound up using our Expobar Brewtus IV-R to provide my hot water (using a coffee machine in order to use a coffee machine), but still it was easier than say, boiling creek water. Honestly the water can come from anywhere as long as it's clean and hot. The Handpresso Wild Hybrid doesn't heat the water itself. In terms of coffee, you can either pop an ESE pod in or fill the DomePod basket with ground coffee. If you do use the basket, I recommend grinding the coffee into a container first and then using a scoop, otherwise things can get messy. Once you've taken care of your coffee, replace the portafilter and press the brew button. In the kitchen, I tried to imagine a babbling forest brook as fresh espresso poured from the spout and into my cup.

Now, because I'm an accessory kind of guy, I also checked out the Handpresso Intense Portafilter, which is a special portafilter that you use in place of the one that comes with the Wild Hybrid. The Intense Portafilter increases infusion time, which was nice when I found myself craving a stronger cup of coffee.

One thing to be aware of while brewing is that the Hybrid is built with a set of locks, one on the pump handle and another by the portafilter. In order to pump, you'll have to first twist the pump handle counterclockwise to release it.

You should also lock it back into place when you've reached the green zone on the pressure gauge. The Handpresso Wild Hybrid can reach around 16 bars of pressure, but you want to make sure you stay out of the red.

The second lock is indicated by an icon next to the brew button. When you've twisted your portafilter back on and are ready to brew, make sure that one of the three white lines on the side is lined up with the closed lock icon, otherwise, you won't be able to push the brew button. This might seem a bit confusing, but the machine won't brew if the portafilter is unlocked. The Handpresso Wild Hybrid combines gourmet quality coffee and the convenience of portability into one elegant package. Embark on your own coffee adventure today with any of the novel Handpresso products from Whole Latte Love!

If you have ever wanted to pull a shot of espresso the traditional way, using a lever machine, you should watch this video on the Gaggia Achille. It is a heat exchange lever machine, which makes it unique. You can brew and steam at the same time, as well as add water to the boiler when the machine is turned on. The Gaggia Achille manual espresso machine is fun to use, brews great shots and has a very classic design. Mike and I will show you how to use this classic machine and give you some tips on how to get the best brewing and frothing results. I hope you enjoy the video; let us know if you have any questions.

Welcome back for the third and tentatively final blog on the different types of espresso machines. Hopefully, this blog series has given you a bit of an insight on the types of machines available to you, and can act as a great starting point for when you call in to us here at Whole Latte Love. This time around we’ll be discussing the made-for-convenience Super-Automatic espresso machine. The super-auto is ideal for the busy espresso drinker, or someone who doesn’t want to fumble around in the morning for that first infusion of caffeine.

The Machine Does It All

The super-auto literally does everything from the beginning to the end of the coffee brewing process. You put whole beans in the hopper on top, water into a reservoir, and once it’s up to temp, press the brew button. The machine will grind, tamp and brew directly into your cup. It is the ultimate in convenience.

Now to the hard core coffee enthusiast, this will sound sacrilegious and might make a strict enthusiast think: “Don’t be too proud of this technological brewer you’ve purchased. The ability to press a button and brew a shot is insignificant to the power of the barista.” Of course, not all of us are hard core coffee enthusiasts, and you do have a lot of control over the brew process, just in a broad sense. Depending on the machine and features involved, you tell it how much coffee to use, how fine to grind it, and how much water to put through in a shot. Those are basic features actually, and just with those three, the best part of a super-auto shines. Every day, you press the button, and it does the same shot every day every time you press the button. Just set it and forget.

Super-Automatic Features

Obviously since the price range runs from $549 up to $3299, there are a number of other features that get added on as your price increases. They all give you options for greater control over the variables of the espresso brewing process. The common ones are: • Bypass Doser – The ability to take a different preground coffee, like a decaf, and brew that directly, not using the beans in the hopper. • Temperature Control – Some mid-level to high end machines have temperature control over the brew. Most have general levels, a normal and one or two above or below that. • Programmability – The ability to program the volume of water that is sent through a shot. Between one and four buttons on most machines that have that feature. • LCD screen – Instead of little LEDs that light or blink, mid to high level super-autos sport a screen that will tell you in plain English what is going on with it. If needs water it says ‘Fill Water Reservoir’. • Active Cup Warmer – The number one place you lose coffee temperature is in the cup. This handy feature on super-autos has a heating element in the top on a tray that will heat the cups for you, cutting down the degrees lost in the cup.

The above are the most common features looked for and contained in mid to high level machines. Use these as a checklist for what you want the machine to do, or like to do.

Removable vs Sealed Brew Groups

One major dividing line in the super-auto category is the removable versus sealed brew group. Of the major manufacturers, Jura Capresso has a sealed brew group, while Gaggia, DeLonghi and Saeco have all opted for the removable brew groups. What does this mean to you?

With removable brew groups, you have the ability to remove the brew group from the machine. You can then clean and lubricate the brew group yourself. However, because of the size of removable brew groups, you are limited to an 8 gram ground coffee capacity in most brands. This means a double shot is really two consecutive single shots.

Since they don’t need to be compact, sealed brew groups, like in the Jura machines, have the ability to hold up to 16 grams of coffee to brew a true double shot. For cleaning and lubrication, you should use the Jura Cleaning Tabs that clean the brew group and also add a lubricant as well.

‘Ultra-Automatics’ – One Touch Machines

Lastly, in the last few years, there has been an emergence of the One Touch super-automatic that will brew, froth your milk and place everything in the cup for you. The One Touch is the natural progression of the ‘machine-does-it-all concept’, these are really well built machines, with varying levels of control over frothing, steaming and volume of milk to each drink, depending on the machine you choose.

These machines are all high end units, ranging between $1499 and $3299. The premier units were the Jura Capresso Z5 and Delonghi Magnifica 3500. The most recent addition to the one touch machines, is the Gaggia Accademia.

What Does It All Add Up To?

What does this mean to your choice of machine? Well, much like semi-autos, it comes down to how much control you want over the shot that comes out. But with the twist that you would set up the variables at the beginning and then they are kept the same every time you brew. No worries about changing variables due to your not being fully awake. Just remember which button to hit, and caffeination is in your cup shortly thereafter.

The toughest part of being in the Whole Latte Love sales department is finding the right machine to fit a particular customer’s needs. As such, I thought it would be great to give a bit of a breakdown of the machine types (and sub-types) for those coffee lovers out there researching their next machine. There are three basic machine types: Manual, Semi-Automatic and Super-Automatic. For this blog, I’ll be starting with the Manual Espresso Machine.

Total Control

Manual machines give the real coffee enthusiast total control over every aspect of the espresso brewing process. Basically, manual machines have been used to brew espresso since its inception. You can control the grind and tamp, as well as the pressure with which the machine brews through, using a lever on the front of the unit. When the shot comes out into your cup, it is truly your creation, which is what true coffee enthusiasts crave. At the risk of sounding clichéd, you are the barista with a manual machine. Another benefit is that a manual espresso machine looks phenomenal on the kitchen counter; it makes a statement about your dedication to the art of brewing. You think to yourself “This is the tool of a barista. Not as fast or as mechanical as a super-auto, but an elegant machine for a more civilized age.”

Piston or Spring Levers

There are two types of manual machines: the spring lever and the piston lever. The piston lever directly engages the piston head, and is the original form of the espresso machine. The other type is the spring lever. It works using the same concept as the spring lever, with a piston pushing down over the grounds to achieve the pressure; but, the lever of the machine only cocks a spring. When the spring is released, it evenly distributes the needed pressure to pull a shot of espresso.

Unfortunately, Not For Everyone

Due to the strict nature of the machine, and the total control aspect of it, this just is not a machine for everyone. The grind and tamp must be precise, and the pressure must be consistent, this may prove to be difficult for the average user. But if you love your coffee and want the full experience, from beginning to end, this is the machine type for you. Check out the Achille by Gaggia, and the Europiccola by La Pavoni.

If a manual machine isn’t for you, there are other options available. In my next blog, I’ll go over Semi-Automatics and their features along with their pros and cons.

My mantra should be “Quality coffee: anywhere, anytime”. I love the convenience of using the Handpresso Wild E.S.E., with a multitude of pods ranging from Lavazza and Gaggia to Illy and Aloha Island, but I have just gotten the first opportunity to try Handpresso’s Wild Dome Pod model and have to say that I am now truly in awe of Handpresso’s products and engineering.

I really like the freedom that I have with my Wild E.S.E., but the idea that I not only have that freedom, but also the ability to use ground coffee is even better. I can choose the origin, grind and the roast of the coffee that I am brewing in the Handpresso Wild Dome Pod, and that I can share my favorite coffees, like Whole Latte Love Monaco with my friends while we are out and about, is the ultimate.

Also, being a sailor, an essential piece of gear on the boat is my Handpresso Outdoor Set, which is made of thermo-formed EVA (Extreme Vibration Attenuation) foam reinforced fabric, and includes the Handpresso Wild, four unbreakable Cups, a stainless steel thermo-insulated flask and two small napkins. Having the hot water from the flask to make a shot of espresso is so convenient, but it also allows me to take that shot of espresso, add more hot water and turn it into an Americano. Better yet, if its hot out, pack ice and milk in the cooler (another essential piece of sailing gear) and add a Bonjour Primo Latte Frother to the mix and its iced cappuccinos for everyone!

Here is the bottom line, whether you are on the water, camping with the family, at the stadium, or on a picnic, Handpresso can be right there with you to fulfill your caffeine needs.

These days, there’s a lot of enthusiasm, at independent coffee houses surrounding latte art. A cherished tradition, latte art is a style of pouring steamed milk into a shot of espresso that creates a pattern or design on the surface of the resulting latte. One can also create latte art simply “drawing” in the top layer of foam, but some people would consider this “cheating.” A skilled barista can create really beautiful designs atop of a latte as it is poured. However, it takes weeks of training before a barista can become sufficiently experienced to make a latte perfect enough to create an environment suitable for latte art. Pouring latte art is particularly difficult to do consistently, due to the demanding conditions required of both the espresso shot and milk. The art, in turn, is limited by the experience of the barista and quality of the espresso machine. The pour, itself, is the the last challenge for the latte artist.

For the coffee consumers, the latte art is more than just decoration. It really is an indicator that you are getting a meticulously crafted beverage. The art will not appear unless the latte is perfectly made.

• The milk needs to be of good quality. • Milk temperature must be just right. • The espresso machine must be tuned properly. • Espresso must be tamped correctly. • The water must have the right temperature and pressure. • The espresso must be of a good quality and contain a rich layer of crema. • The milk, most importantly, must be steamed perfectly, to the right temperature and consistency.

The milk cannot be “foamy.” If it looks like bath bubbles, the milk is not steamed correctly, even for a cappuccino (cappuccino foam should be fluffier than latte foam, more like shaving cream, but still not resemble bath bubbles). To allow for the creation of latte art, the milk should look thick and velvety—almost like melted marshmellows. But, the work is well worth it, as the taste and texture of a perfect latte is amazing—incredibly addicting.

Milk being steamed. This milk would be considered too "foamy" for latte art.

Even if you don’t get a latte with art, look at the texture of the foam. Remember, “bath bubbles” are bad and “melted marshmellows” or “shaving cream” (for cappuccinos) are indicators of good quality. If you’re at the local coffee shop, examine your beverage closely. Would it pass the quality test? For coffee lovers brewing at home, remember that practice makes perfect; even the pros had to start somewhere.

How hard is my water?
If you call your water authority they will probably give you some scientific answer. The response will be in parts per million, or ppm. How many ppm will make my water hard? There are different degrees of hardness. According to the US Geological Survey, (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qw) 88.3% of homes in the US have what is considered hard water. Hard water begins at about 100 ppm. For most homes this does not cause major problems but can slowly build up in appliances use and heat water. Anything over 180ppm is considered extremely hard.

How does it affect your machine?
Minerals will line your machine, especially in the boiler. They make crusty deposits which, over time, can create blockages. It can also adversely affect the heating element of your machine causing inefficient heating. As well as break the heating element if you have an internal heating element that is directly exposed to the water. The scale is like ice and can get into every part of your coffee maker or espresso machine and break it apart. Especially the tiny o'rings and seals that are soft. This can cause leaking in your machine which can lead to its total failure. Repairs that are caused by scale buildup are usually very costly and almost always are not covered by your warranty.

How to prevent build up - regular maintenance!
It is critical that you descale or decalcify (these terms are interchangeable in the espresso world) on a regular basis. Even if you do not have very hard water, you should still descale on a regular basis to clean out the coffee brewing components of your machine. Coffee can also build up in your machine and cause clogs. You can also use water with a lower mineral content. Some machines (Expobar, Pasquini, Rocket Espresso, HX or heat exchange machine, etc) need at least some minerals in their water for their auto-fill feature to operate properly. Consult your manual or call tech support if you are not sure if your machine requires some minerals in the water. Most machines do not require any sort of special water. But by avoiding water with high ppm counts, you will extend the life of your machine and keep your coffee tasting great.

How do descalers work?
Descalers are acids and release Hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. The H+ ions eat away at the scale by using the charge (+) to pull at the deposited minerals. A mild acid based descaler should be sufficient to get your machine cleaned safely and effectively. Make sure to follow the directions in your manual for your specific machine as well as the directions on the descaling product itself.

Happy Brewing!

Not long ago we received a new product called the Handpresso Wild. This is a handheld espresso machine that weighs less than 2lbs. It is perfect to take with you on a trip or anytime you want great coffee on the go.

We recently went on a business trip and decided to bring the Handpresso for a trial run. The first obstacle was seeing what would happen during security at the airport. As we passed through, the bag with the Handpresso did cause an additional check. The gentlemen asked what is this? After a short explanation and a giggle from the security officer we were on our way.

Shortly after boarding the plane we removed the Handpresso and during beverage service requested hot water. Now this is when the fun began. I began to pump the Handpresso up to pressure, which resulted in many passengers staring. We poured in the hot water added our espresso pod, and made a perfect shot of espresso. I added hot water and made myself a full cup of coffee. My partner decided to drink straight espresso. Suddenly people around us were trying to see what we were doing. The gentlemen next to us asked if he could try. After he brewed his coffee a person across the aisle asked if they could give it a try. Before you know it, 50% of the plane is drinking our coffee from the Handpresso. It was funny to see it being passed around to each seat. Each person turning it around and laughing at how easy it was to use.

We learned a really good lesson that day. Never leave home without plenty of espresso pods. The good newsis that we were able to stop and buy more pods at a local grocery store when we arrived. It is amazing how one simple Handpresso can bring together a group of people. Not only was it fun, it made the best coffee we had all day!

See more about the Handpresso Wild